And life goes on.....

My first impression of this person wasn't very good. And I'm guessing the feeling was mutual. But when I got transferred from my previous office a month back, it was this person who expressed his sadness at my being transferred. I'm not sure how many of us share a good/friendly relationship with our bosses. Bosses are people we usually fear and want to keep our distance from. But this particular boss of mine made it very clear that we were equals. I remember an instance where he told me that I can ask him any doubt that comes to mind without any hesitation. And that I could ask him the same question a hundred times and he would still be willing to explain the concept to me. Not only that, I was also free to correct him, when he was wrong, since we're all still learning. This coming from a man who's spent 30 plus years in the Banking industry, a man whose experience is so vast that 30 volumes of banking journals cannot cover the knowledge he has. That day was the turning point for me. I decided to give my job my best. I usually do. But then my boss's support made me feel that I should try my best and learn from him. Its very rare that youngsters like us come across seniors like him who have the knowledge and are willing to share the same.

I have worked with him for all of 10 months and they've been the happiest 10 months of my life at office. The pressure was unbearable on certain days and I would just feel so helpless and would just want to burst into tears. But then a killer one liner from him would make me burst into laughter instead and then the problem would seem insignificant. He would always tell me that I take unnecessary tension. And that there is nothing to worry about. All this while he himself was under so much stress. There was also a time when I committed a mistake. A huge one, we got it rectified quickly, but I felt guilty nonetheless. And I went to him waiting to get screamed at, but all he said was 'mistakes are committed by human beings only'. I was so relieved.

His patience is legendary. In my association with him lasting 10 months I have seen him losing his cool just once. And that too after a lot of provocation from a customer who was screaming his lungs out. It took about 15 minutes of yelling from the other party for my boss to raise his voice. And I cant get through a single day without losing my cool at least once. He's been one of the best bosses I have worked with and a totally different kind of a person. His thought process sometimes is at a totally different tangent. 'Different' in a nice way. So when I got transferred I was feeling a tad bit sad since I would no longer be working with him. He too was disappointed. Since he was mentoring me to become a prudent Banker. And the day I was relieved I left my office with a heavy heart. But then being in the same city I thought it wouldn't be difficult to keep in touch. So pacifying myself, I joined my new office. We would call each other off and on, mainly to discuss work related stuff but then it was comforting to talk to a familiar person and listen to those funny one liners. Made me feel less depressed as I was getting adjusted to my new work profile.

Recently he got transferred to another office, in the same city. But nevertheless the news of his transfer made me sad. On the day that he was supposed to be relieved from the Branch I went and met him. And seeing him hand over files and other stuff over to the Assistant Branch Manager, made me feel sad. I don't know why, but it did.

He will still be in the same city. We would probably see was other at some event at the Bank that both of us would attend. But still it wont be like before. Like a friend recently remarked "Out of sight is out of mind". We will all get on with our lives, go about our work. Meet new people. Make new friends. But my memories will always be filled with thoughts of the boss who saw the best in me and who made me want to give my work my best. Thank You Sir, for all that you have given to me. Your encouragement and support will always be remembered and valued. And I hope that you meet and get to work with people who're as good as you. Wish you life's best always.. :-)